Devious Clues?

[+hugepedlar]

Thinking about placing my own cache, and I want to make it somewhat interesting, so I'm looking for some advice on what sort of efforts people like to expend looking for a cache.

 

I've found I prefer multi-caches myself - unless I'm in a hurry I like to go on a trail rather than turn up to a set of coordinates, locate a box and go home.

 

However, I've been somewhat underwhelmed at the lack of brainpower required to succeed - I don't want to sound like an intellectual snob or anything, but I'd like to do more than count the letters on a sign and substitute for numbers in a coordinate. Admittedly I haven't travelled up and down the country, but these are the only 'puzzle'-style caches I've found, and they can be a little dull. Fun, pleasant walks, interesting locations - sure - but not terribly exciting.

 

I'd like to know if there's any kind of general etiquette for how devious a solution to a cache's location can or should be.

 

For example: is it OK to be sent to a series of 3rd party websites to hunt for clues, solve riddles, etc. in order to find a location? Would people get annoyed to find a multi-cache stage which then required them to go back to the internet to do some more research before the next stage?

 

I've seen a cache listing that involved using steganography to solve a clue - are there many others like this or more devious that I've been missing?

 

I realise that the more difficult it is to find, the fewer people will bother, but that doesn't bother me so much as having a kick-arse cache to my name does.

 

Any thoughts on geocaching brainteasers?

[+dino-irl]

You need to search for Mystery caches.....there are loads out there that will test your abilities.

[The Royles]

Stuey has a great bookmark list HERE that will be worth a look at, some of the puzzles are very difficult.

 

If you do a cache that requires two visits (with internet or other research between), please make it obvious on the cache page, otherwise you may find that you annoy some cachers who cannot make a return visit easily.

[Deceangi]

Ok I'll answer some of the points

 

I'd like to know if there's any kind of general etiquette for how devious a solution to a cache's location can or should be.

 

Simple answer no, but expect solutions to be passed around the cacher network once a FTF has been made on it.

 

For example: is it OK to be sent to a series of 3rd party websites to hunt for clues, solve riddles, etc. in order to find a location? Would people get annoyed to find a multi-cache stage which then required them to go back to the internet to do some more research before the next stage?

 

Now here's were the fun starts. Yes you can link to a personal outside website, provided that there are no commercial adverts or links or solicitations on it of any kind [and this includes Google adds]. What you are suggesting is already used for at least one active cache

 

I've seen a cache listing that involved using steganography to solve a clue - are there many others like this or more devious that I've been missing?

 

Sorry but this type of cache no longer meets the guidelines, due to the fact that the solution would involve the downloading and installing of a file or program. Any currently Active caches which use steganography are Grandfathered in

 

Any thoughts on geocaching brainteasers?

 

The more dificult the puzzle the more active will be the cacher network

[markandlynn]

Your a premium member set up a pocket querry to just show nearby mystery caches rated at difficulty 5 should yield the results you are after.

 

This guys caches are meant to be quite hard fortunately for us they are to far away to clutter up our nearest unfound, we would rather be out finding them than inside solving them

[+Eckington]

Your a premium member set up a pocket querry to just show nearby mystery caches rated at difficulty 5 should yield the results you are after.

 

This guys caches are meant to be quite hard fortunately for us they are to far away to clutter up our nearest unfound, we would rather be out finding them than inside solving them

 

 

.............having reviewed some of these I totally agree with Mark & Lynne, they can be real brain bashers, get down to Dorking!!

 

E

[+hugepedlar]

Cool. Thanks everybody for replying so fast - but shouldn't you all be out in the sun right now? Wait... Shouldn't I be too?

 

Anyway, I have some interesting ideas now. Cheers!

[+Team Sieni]

In your post you're definitely talking about multi-caches I think, where you gather clues along a trip to a final destination, and along the way substitute the number of windows in the house for A (or the square root of the fenestration if you are doing a clever one), rather than pure mystery caches.

 

There's no reason at all why you shouldn't think up more original clues for your multi. It could make for an interesting time out in the fresh air. But mixing the two - a multi that required you to go back to the internet after finding a few stages would be a bit odd, in that it would require a couple of visits to the site, but there's no rule against it, it's just that fewer people will find your cache. But hey, some caches do require a bit of legwork, take this one GCJ3ME it's a multi but the two points are 716km apart!

 

There are, as Deceangi says above, rules against requiring the cacher to download software

 

As for pure puzzles, that you need to solve at home without any interaction with the local environment, there are loads and loads of those - but <tin hat mode> <rant> what is the point? Why not just list them on a puzzle site? They don't have anything to do with geocaching, now do they? (I'm warming to this subject ) I mean, why go to the trouble of finding a good hiding place, figuring out who is the landowner, obtaining permission, filling a cache with goodies only to make it less likely to be found? I mean, what is the point? what is the bloomin point, eh? I dunno </rant> </tin hat mode>

 

As Auntie Weasel says on her geocaching website "Feel free to hate puzzle cachers. They've earned it."

[+dino-irl]

Same reason as people like to find them....variety.....oh and a new icon

[+keehotee]

I've seen a cache listing that involved using steganography to solve a clue - are there many others like this or more devious that I've been missing?

 

Sorry but this type of cache no longer meets the guidelines, due to the fact that the solution would involve the downloading and installing of a file or program. Any currently Active caches which use steganography are Grandfathered in

 

But you can hide text in a jpeg that only requires winzip or winrar to extract - how widely used does software have to be before it's not considered "specialist"? (ie Word, IE, etc)

[+hugepedlar]

I've seen a cache listing that involved using steganography to solve a clue - are there many others like this or more devious that I've been missing?

 

Sorry but this type of cache no longer meets the guidelines, due to the fact that the solution would involve the downloading and installing of a file or program. Any currently Active caches which use steganography are Grandfathered in

 

But you can hide text in a jpeg that only requires winzip or winrar to extract - how widely used does software have to be before it's not considered "specialist"? (ie Word, IE, etc)

 

Another example - a sound file that can be played backwards to reveal a clue. You can do this with Windows Sound Recorder, but I'm pretty sure I'd have to download something to do it on my Mac.

 

I suppose the only 'safe' files are ones you can load into your web browser, and even then you're playing with fire if you use Internet Explorer.

[Deceangi]

I've seen a cache listing that involved using steganography to solve a clue - are there many others like this or more devious that I've been missing?

 

Sorry but this type of cache no longer meets the guidelines, due to the fact that the solution would involve the downloading and installing of a file or program. Any currently Active caches which use steganography are Grandfathered in

 

But you can hide text in a jpeg that only requires winzip or winrar to extract - how widely used does software have to be before it's not considered "specialist"? (ie Word, IE, etc)

 

virtually all PC's and Macs come with some sort of Word Processor software and web browser. I'm aware that unless the winrar file is self extracting, you have to download a program to open it. Sorry but there is not a definitive list. If you wish to find out if a program or file is covered by the No Download Guideline, I'd suggest you either contact Groundspeak directly or post to the Main GC forum, were it will be seen by Groundspeak employees.

[Edgemaster]

WinZip type files can be handled without any extra programs by practically any PC with an OS better than Windows 98.

 

But, a self-extracting compressed file would be against guidelines - since it is an executable.

[+Mr'D]

Now here's were the fun starts. Yes you can link to a personal outside website, provided that there are no commercial adverts or links or solicitations on it of any kind [and this includes Google adds].

Is there some issue with having Google ads on cache pages then?

Jon

[+Pieman]

I've set a few caches which try to combine a multi cache with a puzzle (or sometimes more than one puzzle) on route rather than just collecting information. I try to make the puzzle not too difficult (but not trivial) if it's to be solved on the hoof.

 

If it's a puzzle to be solved before setting off for the cache then you have free reign to make them as easy or as hard as you wish as the guidelines let you do most things. When I've been in doubt I've checked first with our helpful reviewers.

[+Stuey]

Stuey has a great bookmark list HERE that will be worth a look at, some of the puzzles are very difficult.

 

Thanks Andy. It's probably worth stating that the caches are predominantly in the Devon/Cornwall/Somerset/Dorset area as they are the ones I notice. I do get occasional nominations for the list, and the only condition is that they have to be puzzles where you solve the *final* location of the actual cache.

 

Ones for rainy days/dark winter nights etc. etc.

[+garyhoney]

Your a premium member set up a pocket querry to just show nearby mystery caches rated at difficulty 5 should yield the results you are after.

 

This guys caches are meant to be quite hard fortunately for us they are to far away to clutter up our nearest unfound, we would rather be out finding them than inside solving them

.............having reviewed some of these I totally agree with Mark & Lynne, they can be real brain bashers, get down to Dorking!!

 

E

 

Having spent the best part of a year solving all of these caches I can say that they are varied and interesting so if you want to look at how devious a puzzle can be they are a good place to start. Particular favourites are GCTGBY and GCZEXC

 

G

[markandlynn]

Your a premium member set up a pocket querry to just show nearby mystery caches rated at difficulty 5 should yield the results you are after.

 

This guys caches are meant to be quite hard fortunately for us they are to far away to clutter up our nearest unfound, we would rather be out finding them than inside solving them

.............having reviewed some of these I totally agree with Mark & Lynne, they can be real brain bashers, get down to Dorking!!

 

E

 

Having spent the best part of a year solving all of these caches I can say that they are varied and interesting so if you want to look at how devious a puzzle can be they are a good place to start. Particular favourites are GCTGBY and GCZEXC

 

G

 

I guess that these are the ones that have made you number one in the world for average cache difficulty ??

 

Well done a very very impressive feat an above 3 difficulty average is asstounding to say the least with your number of finds

[Edgemaster]

I guess that these are the ones that have made you number one in the world for average cache difficulty ??

 

Well done a very very impressive feat an above 3 difficulty average is asstounding to say the least with your number of finds

Along with a few others in the area, Nanny Ogg, Alboy, GaryHoney himself, sadexploration and Cache U Nutter are now all setting difficult (in both terrain and difficulty) caches in Surrey. (Apologies if I missed anyone)

 

I have no excuse not to find them - except for them being difficult, oh, and not having any transport

[+hugepedlar]

I can now explain my ignorance of Mystery Caches - there aren't any near me.

 

There are loads and loads of caches in and around Bournemouth (where I live) so I haven't had to look farther afield yet (except for holidays), and the only two 'mysteries' are ones that require having done a series of other caches to find them - kind of like an extended multi-cache.

 

Now that I know these aren't typical mystery caches I'm pleased. There are a couple of interesting ones out in the New Forest which look promising.

[+Hi-5ers]

...

mixing the two - a multi that required you to go back to the internet after finding a few stages would be a bit odd, in that it would require a couple of visits to the site, but there's no rule against it, it's just that fewer people will find your cache.

...

Just to add my 2p-worth, I would suggest that you make it clear on the cache's page that it will take more than one visit to complete the cache. You might get some disgruntled cachers who have gone out to get the cache and only then discover half way through that they can't finish it that day.